Be inquisitive

field work
students in front of Camel's Hump
Student researcher
Lake Champlain with rowers
students conducting stream diversity lab
Research poster
snow in front of Marsh Life Science
Butterfly on asters
golden spider web

Flexible and rigorous, the Biological Science major offers the largest breadth of advanced study topics and research opportunities of any life science major on campus.  It is ideal for students who want a standout Bachelor of Science degree to propel them into a career in the life sciences.

Biological Science is a cross-college major, meaning students can complete the major as part of UVM’s College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) or College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS).  This integrated major was created by unifying separate biology B.S. programs from multiple departments, resulting in an interdisciplinary program that now draws from eighteen departments and five colleges across campus.

 

Upon earning their degree, Biological Science majors will have achieved the following learning goals:

  1. Have a basic (fundamental-conceptual and factual) understanding of genetics, cellular and organismal biology, ecology and evolution.
  2. Can evaluate and articulate the contribution of biology to society.
  3. Demonstrate proficiency in the scientific method and critical analysis and be able to apply skills to novel questions and data.
  4. Articulate biological knowledge both verbally and in writing.
  5. Have an in-depth and current knowledge of subject-matter within a scientific discipline.

Beyond the classroom

Get REAL RESEARCH experience

student in labUVM’s science faculty are both professors AND professional researchers – this benefits you!  The Office of Fellowships, Opportunities, and Undergraduate Research can pair you up with a faculty researcher in any relevant UVM department to participate in his/her research, and/or guide you to develop a project of your own.  You earn credit for this – credits that will count toward your Biological Science major requirements.  This practical experience can’t be beat – graduates of our program often cite undergraduate research as one of the most formative of their experiences at UVM.

A look at the road ahead...

Careers

  • Product Scientist
  • Emergency Medicine Physician
  • Research Biologist
  • Project Development Manager
  • Data Scientist

Where alumni work

  • Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience
  • United States Army
  • US Centers for Disease Control
  • Cornell University
  • National Institute of Neurological Disorders & Strokes

Graduate Schools

  • UVM Medical School
  • University of Wisconsin, Madison
  • University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine
  • Northwestern University, Kellogg Graduate School of Management
  • University of Pittsburgh